Honestly, can someone explain this to me and why I should care? Cause I don't understand this at all. Was adding another senior executive with undefined duties really a must-do for this organization? They've already got Colangelo, Eversley, Gherardini, Triano, Kelly.... how many more senior executives do they need? Jebus, these guys have more senior executives to oversee a roster of 15 players than most MLB teams which are overseeing organizations of like 150 to 200 players.

Stefanski was named Toronto’s executive vice-president of basketball operations on Wednesday.

He served as general manager under Rod Thorn in Philadelphia as well as previously in New Jersey.

Stefanski was let go by the Sixers last week by the team's new owner.

Colangelo had been looking to boost his basketball brain-trust ever since he lost up-and-comer Masai Ujiri to the Denver Nuggets last August.

As expected, this search was never about finding a general manager who would bump Colangelo upstairs. Colangelo will still have final say on all basketball matters, but Stefanski will provide another established voice.

“Ed Stefanski embodies everything I was hoping to attain when the search began for a top level basketball executive to join our staff,” Colangelo said in a release.

Colangelo and Stefanski will meet with the media on Thursday morning.

“Ed brings to the table experience, smarts and a great feel for the game and of people.”

Stefanski has been lauded for his role in stealing Vince Carter from the Raptors, drafting Kenyon Martin and Jrue Holiday and trading for Richard Jefferson.

He previously played in the NCAA tournament for the University of Pennsylvania, spent 20 years as an NCAA colour analyst and was New Jersey’s director of scouting before becoming general manager.

“The team has a young nucleus of players that have a big upside. And with the addition of Head Coach Dwane Casey I am looking forward to witnessing their growth and improvement,” Stefanski said.

Like Colangelo, Stefanski has proven himself to be a savvy drafter, but has similarly been knocked for overspending on free agents.

After reporting Stefanski to Toronto a done deal early in October, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports said a week later that the talks had “hit a snag” and been “derailed.”

However, both sides were able to get back on track.

Former New Orleans Hornets general manager Jeff Bower was the runner-up.

His agent, Steve Kauffman lauded Colangelo for his handling of the search process.

“great job by Tort. in narrowing to 2 best guys Stefanski and Bower,” tweeted Kauffman.

“Bryan C did outstanding job in interview process IMO. Bower is client and process very well conducted. Some clubs could learn from it.”

More hirings are expected, along with title reshuffling. Former assistant general manager Maurizio Gherardini until now senior vice-president of basketball operations and Day One employee Jim Kelly, currently the senior director of scouting, only received one-year extensions this summer

The Maple Leafs have added significantly to Brian Burke’s front office in recent years and the Raptors appear to be moving in the same direction.

If player payroll goes down as a result of a new collective bargaining agreement – as was the case following the NHL lockout – ownership could use some of the excess cash to pay for an enhanced management staff.

BC on the Woj report Stefanski talks hit a snag at some point: "It was errant, there was never an offer made, there was never a snag, we were going along at our timeline and obviously that timeline was not agreeable with someone on the outside."

TORONTO — Shortly after the Toronto Raptors’ season ended last year, the NBA club agreed on a two-year extension with president and general manager Bryan Colangelo. With some infighting among Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment’s board of governors, Colangelo’s situation had been the source of some angst.

So now that Colangelo’s contractual situation has been solved, he is talking about . . . a succession plan?

“I can say that succession planning is definitely thought of in an important regard here with this organization,” Colangelo said Thursday, as he sat beside Ed Stefanski, the Raptors’ new executive vice-president of basketball operations. “It’s important when you’ve got the size and scope of the business that we have to get things in place. I wanted someone, and I believe the board wanted someone, that had (general manager) credentials.”

A caveat, though: “Whether or not Ed ultimately succeeds me is an unknown, but at least I’ve got a guy who has been (in the general manager’s role) and done it and I would feel good handing over the situation to him. Last time I checked, I’m not going anywhere. I plan to stay around as long as they keep me.”

For now, Stefanski, the former GM in New Jersey and Philadelphia, will serve as the second in command to Colangelo in the Raptors’ front office. Although his title is typically vague, his main duties will be overseeing the scouting and drafting processes.

In Colangelo’s words, Stefanski will be his right-hand man.

“If you haven’t sat in that (general manager’s) seat and had to make that final decision, it’s an interesting one,” Stefanski said. “When we do good things, I did it. And the bad things: It’s Bryan’s fault.

“I respect Bryan. He’s a very, very talented guy, a GQ dresser. I will offset that.”

Presumably, Stefanski is talking there about the couture and not the talent.

Like most executives who manage to carve out a long career in the NBA, he has had mixed results. In New Jersey, he engineered successful trades for Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter. In Philadelphia, he drafted Jrue Holiday.

However, he also spent nearly $80 million on Elton Brand for the 76ers and built what was a mediocre, if gritty, team in Philadelphia during his tenure.

He joins a team far below mediocrity in Toronto but he has seen a lot of the Raptors, even if he cannot mention them by name during the lockout.

Stefanski’s hiring will shake up the Raptors’ front office. Exact roles are still to be formally announced, but expect assistant general manager Marc Eversley to be heavily involved in college scouting, outgoing head coach Jay Triano to be involved in pro scouting and senior vice-president Maurizio Gherardini to be focused on Europe.

“The adage: Surround yourself with good people and results will follow,” Colangelo said. “We’ve all done great things in this business and we’ve all done bad things in this business. The experience that comes with both those successes and failures are both very valuable.”

The Memphis Grizzlies have reached agreement with well-respected executive Ed Stefanski to become executive vice president of player personnel, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Stefanski will assume a key role in the Grizzlies' player personnel and scouting areas, serving under general manager Chris Wallace, sources said. Stefanski brings a strong player personnel background, as well as excellent relationships with front-office peers and agents.